Hollow wall construction



N. NELSSON HOLLOW WALL CONSTRUCTION Jan. 18, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledOct. as, 1948 Jan. 18,1955 N, NELS N 2,699,669

HOLLOW WALL CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 28, 1948 2 Shee'rLs-Sheet 2 fii ayiUnited States Patent HOLLOW WALL CONSTRUCTION Nels Nelsson, Chicago,Ill., assiguor to United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, 11]., acorporation of Illinois Application October 28, 1948, Serial No. 56,984

3 Claims. (CI. 7246) This invention relates to wall construction and,more particularly, to a hollow partition of the dry wall type.

The erecton of a partition of this type has always been a costly andtime consuming operation. Heretofore in the erection of a partition orwall, the fastening of the wallboards to the supporting studs usuallyconsisted of driving nails and the like into the studs from thefront orexposed surface of the wallboard thus requiring a sealer material to besubsequently applied thereto to cover over the depressed nail heads, soas to attain a smooth wall effect as well as to prevent so-called nailspotting. In large scale housing projects, in particular, it is of greatadvantage to employ a type of wall or partition which is simple andsturdy in construction and which will not have exposed fastening means,thus materially reducing the time and cost of erection.

Therefore, it is one of the objects of this invention to provide a Wallor partition construction wherein the fastening means for securing thewallboards to the supporting studs are not visible from the exposedsurface of the wall.

It is the further object of this invention to provide a wall orpartition construction which is easily erected, with considerablesavings in time and costs and which is also of simple, yet sturdyconstruction.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description,accompanying drawings, and appended claims.

embodiment of this invention,

dry wall type is provided comprising wallboards, supporting studsadapted to hold said boards in a spaced back-to-back relationship, meansfor fastening said boards to said studs, and ceiling and floor runnerscooperating with the top and bottom edges of said spaced boards; Thestuds, in this instance, are channel shaped and have a portion of thesides thereof flanged outwardly and secured to the edges of the spacedboards. Thus, when a partition of this type is erected, the fasteningmeans are not visible from the exposed surfaces of the boards.

For a more complete understanding of this invention, reference shouldnow be had to the drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, perspectiveview of a hollow partition of the dry wall type with a portion of thewallboards cut away in order to show the means of fastening thewallboards to the supporting stud.

Fig. 2 is like Fig. l but shows a modified means for fastening thewallboards to the supporting stud.

3 is a fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view of 4 is a fragmentary,horizontal, sectional view of Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, between the floorrunner wallboards removed.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the improved hollowpartition shown in Fig. 1, and with the supporting stud thereof shown inassembled relation with floor and ceiling runners.

Referring now to the drawings and, more particularly, to Figs. 1 through4, a hollow partition of dry Wall construction is shown having, in thisinstance, laminated wallboard units 10 and 12, each formed of twowallboards arranged face to face and adhesively secured together inoffset relation to alford lap joints when the units are mounted inedge-to-edge contact to form a In accordance with one a hollow partitionof the perspective view of the joint and supporting stud with the ners,thus the flanges 42 and 43 of the to engage against the sides and 51 ofsaid runners, the

of the channel Figs. 2 and 4 wherein the complete wall. These wall unitsare held in a spaced back-to-back relationship by supporting studs 14 or16. Supporting stud 14, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is channel shaped andhas the sides 18 and 20 thereof contacting the inside or adjacentsurfaces 22 and 24 of the spaced wallboard units 10 and 12,respectively, and has the end portions 26 and 28 of the said sidesflanged outwardly and contacting the edges of the inner laminatedwallboard 30 and 32, respectively. The outer edges 34 and 36 of theflanged portions 26 and 28, respectively, are turned forwardly andadapted to penetrate the joints 38 and 40 between'the laminatedwallboards. Thus, when this type of supporting stud 14 is employed, theneed for nails or other similar type fastening means is eliminated. Thejoints 38 and 40 between the laminated wallboards are enlarged slightlyat their outer ends so that the forwardly protruding portions 34 and 36of the studs may more readily penetrate said joints without the dangerof cracking or chipping of the adjacent laminated boards, or of bucklingthe outer board and thus causing an unsightly swell or bulge on theexposed Wall surface. The enlargement of the joints to accommodate thestud flange portions 34 and 36 is effected by depressing the edgeportion of one of the boards during its manufacture.

A slightly modified supporting stud 16 is shown in forwardly protrudingportions and replaced by nails 41 (only or any other suitable fasteninginto the flange portions 42 and 34 and 36, are eliminated one shown inFig. 2), means, which are driven 43 of the stud and the edges of theinner laminated wallboards 39 and 32, thus rigidly securing thewallboard units 10 and 12 to the supporting stud. In either constructionshown in Fig. 1 or in Fig. 2, the board-holding portions 34 and 36 orthe nails 41 become invisible from the exposed surfaces 44 and 45 of thewallboards When the partition is erected. Studs 14 and 16 are formedfrom lightweight sheet metal and are cut to the desired length at thetime of partition is expedited.

In Figs. 5 and 6 are shown the joints between the floor runner 46 andstud 16 and the ceiling runner 47 and stud 16. The floor runner 46 andceiling runner 47, it will be noted, are of the same construction. Theupper and lower ends of stud 16 are formed to embrace these runstud areextended latter being secured in place by nails 51 which pass throughflanges 48 and 49 of said runners and into the ceiling and floor as thecase may be. The base portion stud 16 is turned back form a lug 52 whichrests against the base 53 of the adjacent runner as shown in Figs. 5 and6. If desired, lugs 52, especially the one engaging the ceiling runner,may

e removed for ease of erection. The base portions 53 of the floor andceiling runners act as spacers for the wallboards 10 and 12 so that theinner boards 30 and 32 of the wall units lie flush against the sides 50and 51 thereof. The width of the studs and runners will be such as toprovide adequate space within the wall for electrical conduits andplumbing, etc. In order to aid in the nailing of baseboards to thepartition, it is desirable to place a wooden strip 54 on runner 46between the studs 16, as shown in Fig. 5.

Thus, it will be seen that a hollow wall or partition of dry wallconstruction has been provided wherein the fastening means for holdingthe wallboards against the supporting studs are invisible from theexposed surfaces of the wallboard when in their operative position.Also, a hollow partition construction has been provided which may bereadily erected with considerable saving in time and costs and oneaffording inexpensive, yet effective, means for holding the floor trimplates in place.

While a particular embodiment of this invention is shown above, it willbe understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limitedthereto since many modifications may be made, and it is contemplated,therefore, by the appended claims to cover any such modifications asfall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

forming so that the erection of the at either end to.

Lclaim: 1. In a wall construction, .the combinatlon of a first course ofwallboard units having overlapping edges ar-v ranged n m shin ed e-tQ-dse subs lly pl n la on a ond o r e ofwal boa units a ng overlapp ngedges arranged in ,the same manner as-said first confrse'and disposed inspacedsubstantially parallel relastantially channel-shaped centersection extending substantially the full height of thewall, said centersection havingv the web portion thereof extending between the opposinginner surfaces of said courses and having the side flange portions.thereof resting against the opposing inner surfaces of the correspondingwallboard units disposed to oneside of laterally adjacent wallboardjoints formedin said courses of said wall construction, and end sectionsextending angularly from said flange portions and spaced fromsaid webportion; each of said end sections. having a first portion integral withthe corresponding sideflange portion of the center section and disposedirijthe joint formed. within arespective course; and means securingeachof said end sections to the corresponding wallboard unit disposed to.the other side of the adjacent joint formed in the adjacent course ofsaid wallboard units, an edge of the last mentioned wallboard unitexteriorly overlapping the adjacent edge of the wallboard unit whichrests against said side flange portion of the unit-supporting member.

2. In a wall construction, the combination of a first course ofwallboard units having overlapping edges arranged in meshingedge-to-edge substantially coplanar rclation, a second course ofwallboard units having overlappingedges arranged .in the same manner assaid first course and disposed in spaced substantially parallel relationwith respect to said first course, and a wallboard unitsupporting memberdisposed intermediate said courses for retaining the latter inrelatively fixedrelation with respect to one another; .said; memberincluding a sub stantially channel-,Shapedcenter section extending substantially the full height of the wall, said center section havingtheweb portion thereof extending between the opposing inner surfaces, ofsaid courses and having the side flange portions thereof resting againstthe opposinginner surfaces of the corresponding wallboard units disposedto one side of laterally adjacent wallboard joints formed in saidcourses of said wall construction, and end sections extending angularlyfrom said flange portions and spaced from said web. portion; each ofsaid end sections having a firstportionintegral 'with the correspondingside flange portions of the center section and disposed in the jointformed within a respective course; and a second por i n nt r l w h id fit p rtion xte g, n-

4" gularly therefrom and. penetrating the joint-formingedge. of thewallboard unit disposed to the opposite side of said joint, the lastmentioned edge having a portion thereof exteriorly overlapping the edgeof the wallboard unit which rests against said side flange portion ofthe unit-supporting member.

3. In a wall construction, the combination of a first course ofwallboard units having overlapping edges arranged in meshingedge-to-edge Substantially coplanar relation, a second'course ofwallboard units having overlapping edges arranged in the same manner assaid first course and disposed in spaced substantially parallel relationwith respect to said first course, and a wallboard. unitsupportingmember disposed intermediate said courses for retaining the latter in,relatively fixed relation with respect to one another; said memberincluding a substantially channel-shaped center section extendingsubstantially the full height of the wall,.said center section havingthe web portion thereof extending between the opposing innersurfaces ofsaid courses and-haying the side flange portions thereof resting againstthe opposing innersurfacesof the corresponding wallboard units disposedto one, side of v laterally adjacent wallboard: joints formed in saidcourses;

of said wall construction, and end sections extending angularly fromsaid, flange portions and spaced from said Web portion; eachof said endsections having a first portion integral with the corresponding sideflange portions of the center section and disposedin the joint formedwithin a respective course; a fastening device penetrat-. ing each ofsaid end sections and the joint-forming edge of the wallboard unitdisposed to the opposite side of said adjacent joint, the last mentionededge having a portion thereof exteriorly overlapping the edge of thewallboard unit which rests against said side flange portion of theunit-supporting member.

Refer nces C e n hefi o this. Paten UNITED STATES PATENTS

